Thursday 28 August 2014

Research on Poverty Reduction Strategies

Just out from Joseph Rowntree Foundtaion
 
 

To help build the evidence for JRF's anti-poverty strategy, we commissioned researchers to carry out reviews of existing policy and research on a wide range of social issues that are related to poverty.

The 33 studies in this collection are the findings of those reviews, and there are links to more detailed reports by the research teams, where available.

The reviews are split into five sections:

The bigger picture
Welfare and work
Money and the cost of living
Education, family and community
Complex needs

The first meeitng of the Manchester Urban Theology Forum September 11th

 
The first meeitng of the Manchester Urban Theology Forum - coming soon! http://t.co/UbUaqb4Icv
 
  • A shared space for critical reflection.
  • Learning from each other about faith & life in our dynamic but contested city.
  • Building bridges between different faith traditions & between the community & the University
  • Fostering greater understanding and more effective action for the 'common good'.

Manchester Urban Theology Forum Facebook Page

Combining action & reflection with analysis & debate.

Keynote speakers exploring issues that impacts on faith & life in Manchester – activists, social scientists & theologians.

Interactive workshops always concluding with 'ideas for action'.

  Join us for our first Workshop'We Believe in Manchester'

On: Thursday 11th September 2014 from 1.00pm-3.00pm

At: Room W313, Samuel Alexander Building,University of Manchester

Wednesday 27 August 2014

Fw: PCC's Community Action Fund

The Police and Crime Commissioner is very keen to increase the number of applications being received for his Community Action Fund ..   See here for details
 
 

Friday 22 August 2014

Tuesday 19 August 2014

The Modern Welfare State: Temple's Challenge for the Church

 

Nice blog piece on William Temple and the welfare system

 

William Temple helped to found the modern welfare state, but what would he make of it today?

 

This guest post is written by Dr Simon Duffy, Director of The Centre for Welfare Reform and policy advisor to the Campaign for a Fair Society.

Monday 18 August 2014

New Bible resource

 
 
 
'Popcorn and Nachos' is a new Bible study resource on the Unlock website today using contemporary films to make connections between bible stories and everyday life. http://unlock-urban.org.uk/documents/popcornandnachos.pdf

Friday 15 August 2014

New briefing and interactive map on family debt from Childrens society

 
We have found that nearly 2.5 million children across the countries live in families owing a total of £4.8 billion in bills and loans. By using our interactive map, you can see for the first time the extent of the impact of debt on families in your area.

Fw: "Serious About Transformation" eNews: August 2014

 
 

From: Stuart Ashmore <stuart.ashmore=tearfund.org@mail68.us4.mcsv.net> on behalf of Stuart Ashmore <stuart.ashmore@tearfund.org>
Sent: 01 August 2014 08:59
To: Greg Smith
Subject: "Serious About Transformation" eNews: August 2014
 
This month: Welcome! / "Pursuing Transformation Tour 2014" / Spotlight on Legal "stuff" / Stories from the "Catalyst" programme / Bits & Pieces / "Good Neighbours" - CUF & Theos report Is this email not displaying correctly?
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"Serious about Transformation"

August 2014

Welcome!

"Hello" & welcome to the August 2014 issue of "Serious About Transformation". This is our 5th issue of the eNewsletter & we hope you're finding it a useful additional resource in supporting your work - "thank you" for the very positive comments that we have received so far, they are very much appreciated, but please do let us know (via the e-mail below) if there's anything specific that you'd like to see included in future editions. 

In this edition we have some breaking news about our "Pursuing Transformation Tour" and we also highlight a recent report from the Church Urban Fund & Theos about understanding the impact of local churches in deprived communities in England.

To find out more about us, what we do & how we do it, just click HERE & visit us online.


With many blessings,
The IMPACT UK Team
(e-mail us at: team.impactuk@tearfund.org)

 

'Pursuing Transformation Tour 2014'

You'll know from previous editions of the eNews that we are planning a series of UK-wide events to support you in exploring a deeper understanding of personal, church & community transformation, enabling you to make a real & deeper difference through your life.

These events begin in Belfast in the autumn, with other dates re-scheduled for early 2015 to coincide with exciting new developments with the IMPACT UK Team's vision & plans for the future. Please do sign-up at our website: www.pursuingtransformation.org.uk in order to receive regular updates as plans progress.
 
Spotlight on Legal "stuff"
 
It is essential that managers and trustees of community projects are aware of their legal obligations and to govern appropriately. Whilst the website of the Charity Commission (England & Wales or Scotland) can provide lots of good "start-up" resources, a good way to stay abreast of legal developments in the voluntary sector is to check news articles on the websites of charity lawyers & there is often an option to sign up for regular updates/briefings via e-mail.
One such regular update service of which we are aware is the "Newsroom" service from Anthony Collins Solicitors. It's free to sign-up but please remember that this is general information only & NOT specific advice. Each case is different & accurate advice must be tailored to the individual case.

 Find out more

 

Stories from the "Catalyst" Programme

 
Helen Sloan, General Manager of the Storehouse in North Down speaks about the impact that the foodbank has had on the local community - click on the picture above to see the video.
 
For more information about the "Catalyst" programme & to make an application:

 
 

Good Neighbours: How churches help communities flourish


In this new piece of research, Church Urban Fund (CUF) & Theos set out to understand the impact of local churches in deprived communities in England; to explore what churches do to support people in their communities & also how & why they do it.
This research project is a "critical appreciation" of what churches offer their communities - it argues that church-based activities offer both breadth of national reach & depth. It shows that:
  • the Church in England reaches approx. 10m people each year through its community activities, even excluding "familiar" church activities - Sunday services, Christmas, Easter, Harvest, baptisms, weddings & funerals;
  • churches reach people in a uniquely relational way, building platforms for neighbourliness & relationships to grow.
Download the full report or the executive summary to read more.

Bits & Pieces...

From time to time we come across lots of interesting bits & pieces that may, or may not, be of interest/use to you in your own local contexts.
Below are links to some of what we've come across this month:


Employment Vacancy: 


         
  • TLG is an education charity that partners with local churches to work with disaffected young people who are at crisis point in their education. We are looking for a qualified teacher with a passion to bring transformation to the young people we work with. If you want to see your skills and your expertise make a real difference to disaffected 11-16 year olds in Manchester, then see our TLG Manchester Centre Manager Vacancy.
 Find out more

External Services: 
  • Funding Opportunities
       
  • The Cinnamon Network knows that a small amount of money can go a long way in helping a local church start a new community project. We are delighted to be able to offer a Micro-grant programme to any local church that wants to start one of our recognised best practice projects as follows:
  • In England: (£1,500) offered by Tearfund's IMPACT UK Team working with the Network under the Government's Social Action Fund;
  • In Scotland: (£2,000) with the Peter Vardy Foundation;
  • In Wales: (£2,000) with JW Laing Trust;
  • In Sussex: (£3,000) with Sussex Police
           Find out more
 
  • The Garfield Weston Foundation is a well-established, family-founded grant-making trust. They offer two grant schemes: Large Grants (over £100,000) & Regular Grants (£1,000 to £99,000). Their wide-ranging interests include community charities & groups. There are no specific priority areas but they acknowledge some common themes; those they fund are likely to be "charities that demonstrate quality & excellence with projects that have clear outcomes & benefits, good leadership & sensible business plans". Applications can be made at any time & there are no formal deadlines.
           Find out more
------------------------------------------------------------------
  • The pros & cons of loan finance: Loan finance: are charities missing an opportunity? It is clearly not a route to be taken lightly & won't be suitable for all, but could be worth being aware of. This article, written for the Guardian Voluntary Sector Network with the help of the CAF Bank, explores the options & outlines the factors to consider.
           Find out more

External links are selected and reviewed when newsletter is published. However, the IMPACT UK Team is not responsible for the content of external websites. This is because:
  • we do not produce them or maintain/update them
  • we cannot change them
  • they can be changed without our knowledge or agreement.
Some of our external links may be to websites which also offer commercial services, such as online purchases.
The inclusion of a link to an external website from this newsletter should not be understood to be an endorsement of that website or the site's owners (or their products/services).

In This Issue

Bits & Pieces...

Click each heading to find out more...  

 

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Useful blog on food poverty from Church of Scotland

 

Tuesday 12 August 2014

A new blog on seeking the children of Shalom

 

Are you ready for universal credit?

Within the next few months the latest of the welfare reforms will be rolled out in the North west of England..Gradually many benefit claimants will be transferred to this new regime.  We are anticipating churches and community groups will be coming across people who need help to cope with the changes and/or who get into real finanacial difficulty over budgeting in the new regime.
 
What is Universal Credit?

Universal credit is a new benefit for people of working age, designed to top up your income to a minimum level. Universal credit will eventually replace benefits for people who are out of work and tax credits for people in work.

You can download a brief guide to the new system prepared by Ed Saville of Blackburn diocese here

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/89023969/Universal%20Credit%20Briefing%20August%202014.pdf

There is more information from the money advice service here

https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/categories/universal-credit?gclid=CLOarsz7jcACFfOhtAodeEMAaQ

and a briefing from CPAG here

http://www.cpag.org.uk/content/universal-credit-update

 

 

Monday 11 August 2014

Lancashire Supporting People Consultation Events

Please circulate to groups who have received supporting people funding etc.
 

From: Whittam, Matthew [mailto:Matthew.Whittam@lancashire.gov.uk]
Sent: 08 August 2014 14:43
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: Lancashire Supporting People Consultation Events
Importance: High

 

Hello,

 

As part of the proposals to reduce the Supporting People budget from 1st April 2015, the supporting people team will be holding consultation events which will offer those with an interest in housing support services the opportunity to contribute to the reconfiguration of housing support services in Lancashire.

 

The following consultation sessions have been scheduled:

 

·         Floating Support Consultation Event

Thursday 11 September (The Tudor Room, County Hall, Preston) 2pm

 

·         Older People Consultation Event

Thursday 18 September (Woodlands Conference Centre, Chorley) Times to be confirmed

 

·         Supported Lodgings Consultation Event

Thursday 26 September (Woodlands Conference Centre, Chorley) Times to be confirmed

 

 

Please keep these dates available and we will confirm the details of the events nearer the time.

 

Please could you confirm if you are planning to attend a consultation event by Wednesday  27 August 2014 (please email Wayne Roberts, and specify in the email subject line which event(s) you are planning to attend). Due to limitations on space we may need to limit the number of representatives for each organisation and therefore it would be helpful if you would list any potential representatives in order of priority.

 

If you are not able to attend the consultation events but would like to express your views about the proposals you can use the links below which will take you to the proposal reports and a link to the online consultation:

 

 

This information can also be accessed via the supporting people web site:

http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/acs/sites/supporting-people/more-details/index.asp?siteid=6448&pageid=44895&e=e

 

 Attached within the email for your information is a power point presentation detailing  the proposals for reconfiguring services and also outlining our proposal for the future use of the framework agreement.

 

 If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Supporting People Team on Tel 01772 534266.

 

 

Regards

 

 

Beverly Cartwright| Contracts Officer | Supporting People Team

+ Lancashire County Council | Adult Services, Health & Wellbeing Directorate | | Christ Church Precinct Level 1 | County  Hall Complex | Pitt Street | Preston | PR1 8XB

@ beverly.cartwright@lancashire.gov.uk

( (01772 531498 or 07584 217677

7 (01772) 530552

 

Visit our website at: http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/supportingpeople

 

 

Tuesday 5 August 2014

Lancashire Fairness Commission - Call for Evidence - Starting Well Theme.

 
 

 

 

On the 6th March Lancashire County Council agreed to establish an Independent Fairness Commission. The purpose of the Commission is to provide an independent perspective on inequality in Lancashire and to make recommendations to increase fairness to the County Council and its partners.  Over the coming six months the Commission will hear evidence about fairness over the life course, in particular around Starting Well, Living Well and Ageing Well.

 

At its meeting on 27th August the Commission will be hearing evidence relating to the Starting Well theme.  This includes pre-birth, early years and teenage years, and the transitions between starting well and moving into the living well stage.

 

Our call for evidence around starting well will focus on:

·        Laying the foundations for good parenting including a healthy pregnancy;

·        Early years development that supports children from 0-5 and their families build their skills and resilience so that they are ready for school;

·        Support to teenagers and adolescents to build life skills and personal resilience to prepare them for the transition into adult life.

 

We would like to invite you submit evidence to the Commission. There are a number of ways in which experts and members of the public can submit evidence including on the website at http://new.lancashire.gov.uk/fairness-commission/have-your-say/

 

If you would like to submit more detailed evidence it would particularly help the Commission if you could focus your submission around the following questions:

 

  1. What specific evidence do you hold about how austerity prevents children from having the best possible start in life?

 

  1. Do you have any evidence about how austerity has adversely affected teenagers in Lancashire?

 

  1. Based on your evidence what is your or your organisation's analysis of the cause/s of inequalities for children and young people in Lancashire

 

  1. Are there any examples of good practice in relation to reducing inequalities and increasing fairness (from within Lancashire, elsewhere in the UK, or overseas) that the Commission should be aware of?

 

  1. What do you or your organisation believe would be the best way to tackle inequalities and increase fairness in Lancashire?

 

 

The Commission asks that you limit your submission to a maximum of 2500 words and it would be helpful if you could provide a bullet point summary at the start.

By 'evidence' we are not referring solely to data and statistics, although that may be an aspect of your evidence. The Commission will be highly focussed on the possible actions to reduce inequalities. It is therefore particularly interested in evidence of what has and has not worked, in the past or elsewhere, and in proposals that could be applied to Lancashire today to increase fairness or reduce inequalities in the County.

 

I'd like to stress at this point that written evidence submitted will not be heard at the meeting, but, if received by our deadline of Tuesday 19th  August it will be included for consideration by Commissioners in advance of the Starting Well Meeting. The evidence you submit will form part of a suite of evidence the commission will receive and consider in relation to starting well.  All of this evidence will be analysed and the Commission will produce its final report by February 2015. 

 

If you wish your evidence to be shared with the Commissioners before the meeting on 27th August, please submit evidence by Tuesday 19th August. If not then please feel free to submit evidence anytime between now and end of October. For more information about the work of the Commission please contact:

 

email:              Fairness@lancashire.gov.uk

post:                Fairness Commission,

Lancashire County Council

Level 1 Christ Church Precinct

County Hall

Preston

PR1 8XB

internet:          http://new.lancashire.gov.uk/fairness-commission.aspx

 

Please be aware that we plan to publish all the written evidence that is submitted to the Commission. We will not publish the personal details of individuals but we do intend to publish the names of organisations who submit evidence. If you wish to submit evidence that you believe is sensitive and needs to remain confidential please state this clearly and outline the reasons why you believe the information should not be made public. You should be aware that evidence submitted to the Fairness Commission could be subject to a Freedom of Information request.

 

Yours sincerely,

The Very Reverend Christopher Armstrong

Chair Lancashire Fairness Commission